There are always so many questions about the foods which are, or are not, appropriate in a parrot’s diet. I apologize for repeating this so many times in my posts, but I firmly believe that diet is the most important part of our parrot’s daily care. Everything else you try to accomplish for your bird is lost on an energy-less, ill-feeling bird if you fail in this one area. Without good health, a parrot’s life is, at best, not all it can be, and at worst, a tragedy waiting to happen.
The list of should/can feed items is very long. Fresh fruits and veggies should be the biggest part of the daily diet. Grains (cooked and raw) and legumes (only cooked or sprouted), pastas, nuts and pellets should also be worked into the diet regularly.
More important is the list of foods that are dangerous. It is a short list, but it is imperative that we be aware of those things which are hazardous to our birds.

Camelot macaws

It is incorrect to assume that parrots innately know which foods are dangerous for them. In fact, a parrot learns these things from their parents and flockmates in the wild. Most of our birds have not had that advantage. Even our wild caught birds are being fed a captive bird diet and the foods that we give them are not the same as those they would have been exposed to in their native lands. So any of their acquired wild knowledge, should they retain it, is irrelevant.
To keep things simple, I will address only the foods that are known to be toxic, foods to be avoided (even though many of these are debated), and the parts of acceptable foods that should be removed when you serve them.

Following is the list of foods you must NEVER let your bird eat or drink:

Avocado – The pit and skin are the most toxic parts of the avocado, but even the flesh can kill a bird within minutes. I know of a few instances where this happened to birds after being fed guacamole by their unaware owners.

Chocolate – Contains the compound theobromine, which speeds up the metabolism. The darker chocolates containing a higher percentage of cacao, which are also the more pricey chocolates, are the most dangerous. Chocolate toxicity can be fatal.

Raw honey – This contains fairly high levels of botulism and should not be fed to birds or infants. Used pasteurized honey instead.

Caffeine – This speeds up the metabolism in an animal with already high metabolic rates. It can bring on cardiac distress and death.

Alcohol – Alcohol depresses the organ system and can be fatal, even in small amounts.

Salt/Sugar – Sodium (salt) is a necessity in all living creatures. However, too much salt can bring on dehydration and kidney dysfunction. The different foods we eat contains both salts and sugars naturally. It is unnecessary and unsafe to add these ingredients to our bird’s foods.

Congo african grey

The following is a list of those foods which are considered questionable, and, as I mentioned above, many are debated. I, personally, choose to include some of these foods in my own bird’s diets because I have always offered them and have had no problems with them. I will give you the pros and cons of each, and let you make your choice:

Dairy products – Birds are lactose intolerant. This is fact. However, birds do love cheese, and when given in small amounts infrequently, most do not have a problem digesting it. My cockatiels have played “bobbing for Cheerios” in my cereal bowl since I’ve had them.

Peanuts/peanut butter – Peanuts can contain aflotoxins, a carcinogenic substance, as can tree nuts, grains, cereals and corn. Peanut shells can also harbor fungus, I am more concerned about this factor, so I buy raw peanuts and bake them myself. Commercial peanut butters have a lower contamination of aflotoxins than do the more natural brands. This is one of the few instances where over-processing is a good thing. I should also point out that there are rare occasions of peanut allergies in birds. Just like similar allergies in humans, this is only discovered once it has been eaten.

Onion – Onions can bring on digestive discomforts in both birds and humans, especially when eaten raw. Excessive amounts can also cause anemia. I do use onion in my cooking which I often share with my birds. I steam some vegetables with chopped onion for flavoring and pick out the onion bits before giving it to them. I also use onion powder for flavoring, which is generally considered by all to be safe.

Garlic – Over indulgence in garlic can cause anemia. Like onion, I use frequently it in my cooking. There are so many health benefits to garlic that I don’t even know where to begin. I will continue to give it to my birds, forever, both raw and cooked. It is an amazing food, but it must be a food that is given in moderation.

Mushrooms – Mushrooms are a fungus. Some species have toxicity, some more than others. While birds do seem to enjoy the texture, they are worthless nutritionally. I don’t feed them to my birds because there are no benefits to balance out any potential risks.

Fruit seeds and pits – The seeds and pits from certain fruits: apples, pears, peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines and plums contain low levels of a cyanide-like compound and if eaten in quantity can be fatal to your bird. Your bird should never have access to these seeds or pits. However, the seeds from the following are safe: grapes, citrus fruits, squashes, pumpkins, tomatoes, melons, pomegranate, mango and berry seeds.

Cabbage – Cabbage and leafy greens contain oxalic acids which interferes with calcium absorption in the meals that follow. However, kale, for instance, is one of the most nutrient rich foods we can offer to our birds. Unless your bird is producing eggs or molting, both of which require a strong calcium supply in the body, or has a known calcium deficiency for other reasons, these foods should be a big part of the diet. Why some people single out cabbage as an unsuitable food is beyond me.

Rhubarb – Raw rhubarb has very high levels of oxalic acid, especially in the leaves. It is said that once cooked, it drops to an acceptable level making it a safe food. Other sources say that the levels do not drop acceptably. Because rhubarb is in such debate, and I do not feel I can make an informed decision, I have dropped it off of my “safe” list.

Asparagus – Asparagus has been said to cause severe digestive upsets in some birds and humans. I have never seen this in my own birds, a couple of whom just love it. Because the word severe unnerves me, I now only feed it 2 or 3 times a year, still, though, without any problems.

Eggplant – It is also said that eggplant, due to the solanin it contains, can cause stomach upsets, although I am unaware of any instances of this happening. Most site have eggplant of the safe list. My birds aren’t crazy about it, cooked or raw, and get it occasionally in my effort to vary their diets.

Rgubarb photo by www.chicagoist.com

This list will be ever changing as we learn more about our avian companions, and it will never be complete as new considerations come to light. Most owners fall into two categories: those who will serve certain foods because their experience is that their birds have shown tolerance, and those who refuse because they don’t wish to take the risk. Of the foods listed above, I have never known, or heard of, any bird suffering more than mild stomach upset following consumption. It is up to the individual to determine how well their bird’s tolerate certain aspects of their diet. However, I suspect that a bird would simply, in the future, refuse a food that caused distress.

Moderation is the best way to avoid diet problems. We should do our best to vary our bird’s diets. In doing this, not only do we make eating a more enriching experience for them, but it helps us see that they are getting all that their bodies require nutritionally. In a widely varied diet, all of the foods you offer are given in moderation automatically because there is so much to choose from.

5/19/11

**Note regarding pasteurized honey: One of our readers brought forth a very good point and one that I hadn’t considered. For honey to truly be pasteurized, it would have to be heated to temperatures that would change the consistency, caramelizing it into a near solid instead of the syrup we are familiar with. Therefore, it is not possible that it is pasteurized. She stated that in Canada, labeling may not use the word “pasteurized” for this reason. There isn’t a lot of reason for us to be using honey with our birds, I had been using it in tea that I sometimes share with them, but that all honey may still contain botulism spores is a concern to me. If you find the need for a sweetener, use agave nectar.

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37 Comments on “Unsafe Foods For Parrots”

joann murnane 05/09/2011 12:05 am

Thanks again for the vary important information. But i have a question ? That I haven`t yet found an answer ? what about Olives Green or Black Fresh or preseved ? I think preserved is not advisable , since the preserviving is bone on abase of salt? I can get all forms very abundantly here and I`m afraid to give

Pattie, firstly thanks for all the useful info….. My girl Taki, a 3 yr old Alexandrine, loves roasted peanuts. So far, she’s had no problems…. I’m now wondering whether I should stop giving them to her just to be on the safe side…..

pamela 05/09/2011 5:11 pm

a couple of thoughts … and questions. the Kaytee birdfood I buy for my conure has peanuts (in the shell) in the mix. Is that okay? And I know she eats WAY too much cheese so I’ll watch that; it’s here favorite ‘people’ food. She also LOVES soy and almond milk; are those okay for birds? These posts are wonderful. I constantly question what I am doing – and often these posts/blogs show me the way … thanks! and any response to my above questions would be very helpful!!!!

Patty 05/10/2011 11:24 pm

Hi Mike,
I am aware that kale has a low oxalic acid content, but the avian community is issuing warning about anything with oxalic acids period. The leafy greens seem to get picked on all the time. Of those, I find kale to be the most valuable to the diet, which is why I singled it out in my post. I don’t want people to go away from it because they are scared. Thank you for bringing the subject up!
Patty

Patty 05/10/2011 11:50 pm

Hi Pamela,
I wish I had thought to mention soy in my post because it is another highly debated food. It is claimed that soy and soy milk can cause thyroid problems, cause allergies and nasal congestion, effect the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, causes upset stomachs, among other things. Some people feed their birds soy nuts with no problems at all. Almond milk has been said to be the cause thyroid problems in some birds and is high in sugar. My feeling is that if your bird has been tolerating them for some time with no problems, and you feed them with moderation and caution, you can continue. Just be aware that there might be potential risks. The same goes for peanuts.
Patty

Jeanne 05/11/2011 12:35 am

I have a 11 year old unbrella cockatoo, she loves peanut butter. I put a little in her bowl everyday and she eats it off and on all day when she wants it. I do not think she really consumes a lot of it. Is it ok to keep her on that? She is a very picky eater. I feed her everyday the no salt veggies in the can, which she has to have them warmed up for her. And I feed her seed, and green seedless grapes.

Coleen 05/11/2011 5:32 pm

My parrot willnot eat nuts……has anyone had that problem?

TJ 05/11/2011 5:38 pm

I’ve been feeding Sydney, my Sulpher Crested Cockatoo, Lafeber’s Premium Daily Diet Pellets for Macaws/Cockatoos for the past 6 years as nearly his sole diet, having switched off the seed diet he was on when we got him. He gets nuts (cashews being his favorite) and homemade vegetable soup on occasion. He dislikes cold food, including fruits and vegetables. In spite of this regimine, his health remains excellent (his feathering is perfect and beautiful!). He has been fully flight feathered for over the past couple of years and takes ‘laps around the pool’ screen area almost daily. I don’t stress over his diet of pellets alone, as it’s obviously not been detrimental for him after all these years.

Many parrots die to early because they don’t get good food. So thank you for sharing all information about wich is good or wrong food for the birds.
@Michaun Smallwood : (hard) cheese mostly gives no problem with lactose intolerantie. Greetings Geer and Greetje, the Netherlands.

John C 05/11/2011 5:54 pm

I feed Cassie my Blue Quaker, Hagan Tropimix and Hagan granules. She loves them both. We pull out the papaya and give it to her as her “treat”. She also likes peanutbutter on wheat bread, no crust.

Virginia and Eddy Thomas 05/11/2011 6:07 pm

Our Amazon, Paulie, begs for the uneaten milk from our cereal each morning and sits on “his” dining room chair every evening about 9 PM and begs (shouts “cracker, cracker,cracker”) until he gets his nightly spoonful of ice cream. We’ve had him for over 12 yrs. and, so far, he has shown no signs of lactose intolerance. Are we slowly killing our baby by giving in to his desires?

Do you have to bake the raw peanuts? Can they be fed raw if you only give them 2 per day?

Kerry and Frankie 05/12/2011 2:50 am

Soy beans are one of my Amazon’s favorite filler greens. I limit them and simmer them for 4-5 min. which I read is supposed to neutralize the problem. Any info. on this?? Her 2 favorite things are scrambled eggs and (small pieces of) cheese. I fix her eggs and soy beans and freeze them then thaw a little in hot water for a quick treat. She keeps track of what’s going on in the kitchen and gets her way by saying “Hi? Hi?” until I get her goodies. When I have coffee (half decaf, Folgers, which is supposed to not have chemicals that are in other decafs) and Agave, Frankie pushes me out of the way so she can get a sip or 2 when it’s cool enough. Does anyone know if I have to deprive her of her morning coffee a few times per week?? How about the Agave?? It’s plant based and low on the glycemic index. We have it in our oatmeal with blueberries and blackberries…another favorite.

Vavoom 05/12/2011 1:57 pm

Is Zupreem Fruit Blend a good quality pellet for my conures? Thanks!

jessie 05/13/2011 3:28 am

Hi Patty,

how about seeds in bananas? Safe?

Was also wondering if I can give my love birds cornflakes? You know the plain types.
They went crazy for chips once but I have not given them any since.

Btw, remember I told you they are on a mixture of cooked veggies(broccoli, carrots, corn, green beans, barley, sweet potatoes) mixed with their usual seed mix. Ratio of 1:1.

Do i have to omit out the seed mix soon? They are eating but the seeds are the first they go for I think. Am also not sure if they are really eating the veggies as I mixed them into the sweet potatoes paste which is sweet. So I see a lot of chewing & licking and they flinged the food all over the place.

Btw I freezed the cooked veggies in sachets like what you did for your raw veggies, its fine right?

Was wondering if you can do a post on the cleaning agents that we can use at home or any natural cleaning agent safe for birds.. the most effective way to clean their poop and cages.. the safe detergent to wash their soft toys and blankets(ok I am crazy)..
Have been washing their stuff with water as I am unsure of the chemical stuff like detergent, bleaches, Mr Muscle, Clorox even washing liquids…

Thank you so much.
Today I am trying out radish, celery, cauliflower and capsicum together with their usual.
keeping fingers crossed.

jabberbird 05/13/2011 10:07 am

I just read the post about soy. Just seems like everything I feed Charlie turns out to be the wrong thing. I feed him raw soy beans in the shell everyday. Thought it was not only a natural vegi, but gave him the opportunity to tear it apart to get the beans. Of course, because it’s something he probably shouldn’t have, it’s the 1st thing he snags from his fresh dish every morning.

Jaonn Murnane 05/13/2011 4:22 pm

Patty Im sorry to wright a second time . But have you found out about an answer on the olives yet?? with many thanks Joann

Patty 05/13/2011 7:36 pm

Hi Jabberbird,
It doesn’t mean you have to cut the soy out completely. Just be aware of the potential for risks with certain foods and watch his response to them. Many of the foods on the “iffy” list in my post I still serve in moderation. I am aware of their down sides, and keep an eye on their poops and behaviors (which I ALWAYS do anyways), but the good things in many of these foods outweigh the possible risks, in my opinion.
Patty

Patty 05/13/2011 7:43 pm

Hi Jaonn,
Sorry for the delay. Olives are a wonderfully healthy food BUT they are very oily and salty, particularly the green ones. You can serve them occasionally, but try to get the ones packed in water instead of brine.
Patty

Patty 05/13/2011 8:14 pm

Hi Jessie,
Banana seeds are fine, fortunately. Can you imagine the chore of having to pick them out? You can give your bird cornflakes, but remember to offer them only as treats. You want them to fill up on the good stuff first! SLOWLY reduce the amount of seeds you are mixing with the better foods. I’m willing to bet they are eating more than you think. Playing with food is the first step to eating it anyways. Keep that up, and don’t eliminate too much seed too quickly so that they continue to test out the new foods, even if it is only because they have to pick through it to get to the seeds! You are doing a great job, Jessie!
That’s a great idea for a post. I’ll try to get it out early next week.
Patty
PS – Your freezing method is perfect!

Patty 05/13/2011 8:56 pm

Hi Barbara,
Oatmeal is great, but best served plain (meaning no milk or sugar). Try sprinkling a little ground cinnamon over it!
Patty

Patty 05/13/2011 8:58 pm

Hi Kathy,
No you don’t HAVE to bake them, I choose to to get rid of any fungi in the shells.
Patty

Patty 05/13/2011 9:21 pm

Hi Kerry and Frankie,
My understanding is that all soybeans (there are many varieties of soybean plants) MUST be cooked to make them safe to eat, but some must be fermented.
Unfortunately, Frankie is going to have to live without his his morning coffee. Half caffs contain caffeine, just less. If you were referring to agave nectar, that is fine. The plant, howeve, is toxic. Try giving Frankie a cup of warm water sweetened with the nectar instead, no more coffee though! I’ll bet he likes it just as much.
Patty

Patty 05/13/2011 9:43 pm

Hi Virginia and Eddy,
Just FYI, birds ARE lactose intolerant. Some simply handle the intolerance better than others. I would be lying if I said I never gave ice cream to my birds, but it is done infrequently. In answer to you question: “Are we slowly killing our baby by giving in to his desires?”, you are more likely to face behavioral problems doing that. Health-wise, try to lessen the amount you give him at very least.
Patty

Patty 05/13/2011 9:47 pm

Hi Geer and Greetje,
Very true! The hard cheeses contain very little or no lactose and are the best choices for our birds!
Patty

Sharon Parks 10/25/2013 11:46 pm

I have two tiny parrotlets. I do not know their classification name so I call them parrotlets. They are as tall as my index finger and are in the parrot family. I have been feeding them sunflower seeds that I grew for them this summer and then the person who gave the birds to me told me that sunflower seeds can kill them! Is this true and if so ….why? They love millet seed as one of their favorite foods and sunflower seeds are their favorite. I have been feeding them the sunflowers for a month now and they seem to be suffering no ill or adverse effects at all. Please enlighten me on this subject. I have stopped feeding them sunflower until I hear back on this matter. Thankyou very much for your time!

Patty Paddock 04/06/2014 10:35 am

Do you have any info on ground cinnamon?

tanswell 10/02/2014 12:53 pm

Hi all. I have an african grey and the bird sitter at one time fed him raw eggs. Well he seems fine and healthy but will this have an effect on him? Will he die? Tanswell

Ann 10/06/2014 6:51 pm

I did not know not to feed raw organic honey to my Conure and he just ate about 6 bites! What should I look for and how long untill I know if he will be safe? Thank you!

emi 01/11/2015 10:20 am

Dear patty,
this has been very helpful, I have 2 quaker parrots and i wanted to ask if it was ok if they ate spinach
or yogurt, they LOVE the yogurt, everything i buy is organic.

Meenakshi 01/29/2015 4:22 pm

My parrot loves milk… is it alright to give him milk ?

jean friend 03/18/2015 9:01 am

My amazon is now 28 years old. I change his liner daily and spray cage with 50% vinegar and 50% water and give a good wipe down. (while he’s out of cage for playtime). I also give his cage a good scrub down with hot soapy water and rinse well,once a week.